My girlfriend had very little experience with kayaking and I didn’t have much more. Aidan was a fantastic instructor and guide for both of us on the beginner/intermediate kayaking route. By the end, we were able to tackle a category 3 rapid! But before doing so, Aidan made sure that we had the skills necessary.
We felt safe the entire journey. I flipped my boat at one point and while my girlfriend laughed at me, Aidan offered calm guidance on how to get back on and avoid flipping again. But i have to say, I enjoyed the quick dip!
We also encountered several elephants. They were all curious and beautiful. Aidan carefully navigated us respectfully past them while allowing us to observe and take pictures at a safe distance.
In between more technical parts of the river, we also enjoyed the calmness of the river, which was like a meditation.
Lunch was great too! Aidan is also hilarious.
I recommend this trip to anyone with an adventurous soul who loves dry humor. You will have to paddle your own boat and you may get wet. But there’s no better way to experience the outdoors in Chang Mai than with Aidan!
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Seaside616924
August 9, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
An amazing kayaking adventure
A truly amazing and memorable day! My friend and I joined the beginner white-water kayaking trip on the Mae Wang river, and we both loved it. Guided expertly by Aidan, we glided through lush jungle and even spotted elephants standing majestically on the riverbank. Aidan’s clear instructions gave us the confidence to navigate the thrilling rapids, and while some sections were challenging, we always felt safe and well cared for. Huge thanks to Aidan and his team for an unforgettable adventure.
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Z797EBkellye
March 22, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Great experience
Amazing trip, we all had so much fun. I would definitely do it again if I came when the water was higher. Great way to see other areas of chiang mai besides the city
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Simon W
December 14, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Great trips with CM
Really good organisation and nice people and have learnt a lot - felt safe on the rapids and i’ll come again - Aidan is a good teacher and his team too . Thanks
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Morgan F
December 7, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Don’t Book the River Kayak
I had high hopes for the Chiang Mai Jungle White Water Kayaking @ Mae Wang River experience, but our guide absolutely ruined it. He’s an older guy by the name of Aiden and from the start, he was condescending and downright rude, acting like he was training us for some extreme sports competition rather than helping us enjoy a leisurely trip downstream.
His attitude made the entire group uncomfortable. Instead of offering helpful advice or encouragement, he constantly made snide remarks and yelled instruction at us. He seemed to think he was some kind of gift to mankind, which is odd considering he’s almost unbearable to be around.
What should have been a relaxing and fun day on the water turned into a frustrating ordeal because of his lack of people skills and his inability to read the room. Kayaking isn’t supposed to be stressful, but he managed to make it exactly that.
If you’re looking for a guide who will help you enjoy the journey, keep looking. This guy clearly lacks the skills—and the attitude—needed to lead a group. I can’t recommend this experience to anyone.
事業者からの返答
Thank you for the feedback. While most participants on this trip seemed to enjoy the experience, it’s clear that two guests felt the tone and communication style were too sharp at times. The guide, who has led river excursions for decades as part of a team of experienced professionals, may have had a more direct approach that day—possibly influenced by personal circumstances. While safety was never compromised, we recognize that tone matters and appreciate the honest input. Many other reviews reflect the overall quality and value of this excursion, and we remain committed to making each trip both safe and enjoyable for everyone.
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lucymC4757YF
December 7, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
0/10 wouldn’t do again
We did Chiang Mai Jungle White Water Kayaking @ Mae Wang River yesterday with Aiden as our instructor. It was low river, but that was not a problem. Everyone in my group has been kayaking before and knows the basics of how to kayak. This was our first experience with rapids and maneuvering around stuff in the water. We expected and needed guidance and input as we figured out our way around obstacles and tricky parts in the river. Aiden, whom we assume is the owner of this business, took this “instruction” to a different level. Yes, we expected him to raise his voice in order to be heard above the river. This was not the problem. Almost every instruction was accompanied with rude/condescending comments such as “what are you doing! Why would you do that!”, “why are you grabbing onto that!”, “why would you make that move!”. He made everyone in the group feel on edge, and no matter what we did, we did something wrong and got yelled at for it. One example: the beginning of the tour, my friend and I were paddling slow and found ourselves at the lead. Aiden made a comment like “why are you ahead of me?”. Okay. Later on in the tour we again found ourselves at the lead and decided to Eddy Out, as instructed. Mid-eddy, I got yelled at “why would you pull over there! We have to get going, what are you doing!?”. This is one example of many. He has a bad temper and is a good kayaker. But not everyone who is good at something, has what it takes to be a teacher. He also treated the coworkers/employees with impatient tones and just really did NOT make this tour fun.
事業者からの返答
Thank you for the feedback. While most participants on this trip seemed to enjoy the experience, it’s clear that two guests felt the tone and communication style were too sharp at times. The guide, who has led river excursions for decades as part of a team of experienced professionals, may have had a more direct approach that day—possibly influenced by personal circumstances. While safety was never compromised, we recognize that tone matters and appreciate the honest input. Many other reviews reflect the overall quality and value of this excursion, and we remain committed to making each trip both safe and enjoyable for everyone.
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jeanpierrek931
March 18, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Magnificent kayaking day
Superb day: the landscapes were magnificent and our guide was knowledgeable and very friendly.
I highly recommend this outing for beginner kayakers of all ages.
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Odyssey50661423165
October 30, 2018 · via Tripadvisor
Best part of coming to Chiang Mai !!!!
Just finished a full day kayaking down the river. Our guide was spot on, great teacher and I learned lots. Got my confidence built right up before getting too far down the river.
Took lots of pictures and helped us through any tough spots. Have very little kayaking experience I would highly recommend everyone to do this tour... it’s the best way to see the jungle.... passed lots of elephants and had a good lunch at the half way point!
Will be doing another advanced tour in my future
Also you can grab an amazing cup of coffee in the morning from the little shop across the parking lot
10 stars if it would let me !!!!! Don’t leave Chiang Mai without doing this tour !!!!
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Martijn B
August 11, 2018 · via Tripadvisor
Fun, thrilling and very well coached
We had great day kayaking down the Mae Wang river today. After pickup at the hotel we were driven to the office downtown. We were given a good, humorous and thorough safety briefing.
The drive up to the river in the red truck was a nice way to meet the group of (in our case) 7 people and 3 guides.
The kayak down the river had some interesting challenges some which resulted in a refreshing dip in the river. Guides were always around to help you out and get you on your way again.
We saw multiple elephants on our way down and the nature floating by us very relaxing. If you are looking for a safe ride with a few thrilling twists, this is the one.
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Aaron K
September 5, 2017 · via Tripadvisor
Great kayak adventure
So I went on the class 3/4 kayaking trip in the canyon, which was an awesome experience! The guide (Denai) was absolutely awesome, and we had a really good time. One of my favorite overseas adventures. That being said:
This is a no bs class III+ run. It's shallow creeking with 3-4 foot drops, cool rock slides, and very shallow. There is an upper section that can be lapped which is a lot more forgiving, but the lower end of the canyon is shallow and steep. Fairly low consequence, but VERY bony. I'm used to bigger water (2,000 cfs) and this pushed me, but I think if you were familiar with steep creeks it would be better. When I ran it, there were no keeper holes, and only a couple of undercuts.
The guides are great, and the risk management is really good, but in the end, this level of kayaking is about your capacity.
This trip was a ton of fun, and I'd love to do it again. Five stars!!!!